Walking the gauntlet of protesters at Albury's fertility clinic

By Nick Fogarty and Suzi Taylor

Every Thursday an air of tension hangs over Albury's Englehardt Street Fertility Control Clinic, where pro-choice supporters confront anti-abortion protesters. Hear as an ABC reporter walks the gauntlet of protesters and speaks with those seeking to intimidate women seeking fertility planning and health care, as well as those people who challenge the protestors and volunteer to assist women trying to access the clinic.

While the City of Melbourne is facing a lawsuit demanding the removal of a long runnung protest outside a fertility clinic, on the Albury-Wodonga border it's a different matter altogether.

Every Thursday a man sits by the entrance of Albury's Englehardt Street Fertility Control Clinic and opens the door for women.

The man, who does not wish to be identified, says he's not affiliated with either the anti-abortion protesters who frequent Englehardt Street, or those groups that support the clinic.

"I just basically volunteer to assist the girls in getting in and out of the clinic for their appointments without being harassed," he says.

He tends to avoid direct confrontation with the anti-abortion protesters.

"My simple comment to them at times when they approach young ladies is that I don't think it's appropriate to discuss with them now, and that's about it," he says.

On the footpath in front of the clinic, two supporters of the group 'Helpers of God's Precious Infants' brandish anti-abortion pamphlets and stand next to placards, one of which features a graphic image purporting to be an aborted foetus.

Across the road, four other Helpers stand in a circle, quietly reciting prayers.

When a hazardous waste van exits the clinic's driveway, all six of the protesters fall to their knees and bow their heads in prayer.

Anna von Marburg is one of those praying.

"Those are the babies coming out in the surgical waste truck," she says.

"That's why I'm here."

Legal intervention

A petition was launched in February to have the protesters banned from their position at the front of the clinic.

Retired obstetrician-gynaecologist, Pieter Mourik and womens' health expert Susie Reid are behind the petition, which has so far attracted around 3000 signatures.

If the petition gains 10,000 signatures it will be tabled on the floor of the New South Wales Parliament.

It comes in the wake of laws passed in Tasmania last November that banned protests within 150 metres of abortion clinics.

Ms von Marburg says she hopes women entering the clinic will speak to her and "see there's help available".

"That they don't have to go through with this, that we're there for them, we'll walk with them, we'll help them materially, socially, financially to get through this," she says.

"We love them, that's what motivates us."

In a one-hour period on Thursday afternoon, two cars slow down as they pass the clinic and hurl abuse at the anti-abortion protesters.

Albury resident Kerry Woodland has come down especially to confront the protesters.

"More people in the community need to come down here and tell these people to go away," she says.

"Let women decide what they want with their bodies, we don't need pamphlets shoved in our faces."

Inside the clinic, Dr Kathy Lewis agrees.

Dr Lewis also runs a clinic in Hobart, and says having legislation like that passed in Tasmania "would solve a lot of problems".

"They say they're protesters but... there's no reason why they have to protest right here, they can protest somewhere else," she says.

"It's very difficult for women wanting to access this clinic.

"They feel intimidated, they feel that they have to run a gauntlet of these people every week when they come in."

Listen to the audio player to hear what happens at the Englehardt Street fertility clinic.

Every Thursday, anti-abortion protesters gather at the Englehardt Street Fertility Control clinic in Albury. Local residents, doctors at the clinic and others say they shouldn't be there. Suzi Taylor investigates.